The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-12-17
His Wool Tariff Ideas.

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impression will have to be revised.
His remarks upon the wool tariff are
peculiar and can be explained only
on one of two grounds: That he is
personally grossly ignorant and lack
ing in perception, and has accepted
the theories of unworthy and design.
ing advisors or that he is not sim
cere in his profession that he seeks
the good of the country through the
reduction of the surplus. He says in
his message:
1.-THE farmer and the agriculturist
who manufacture nothing, but who
pay the increased price which the
tariff imposes upon every agricultur-
al implement, upon all he wears and
upon all he uses and owns, except
the increase of his hocks and herds
and such things as his husbandry
produces from the soil, is invited to
aid in maintaining the present situa-
ton, and he is told that a high duty
on imported wool is necessary for the
benefit of those who have sheep to
shear in order that the price of their
wool may be increased. They, of
course, are not reminded that the
farmer who has no sheep is by this
scheme obliged in his purchases of
clothing and wooden goods to pay a
tribute to his fellow farmer as we'll as
the manufacturers and merchant;
nor is any mention made of the fact
that the sheep owners themselves
and their households must wear
clothing and use other articles man.
ufactured from the wool they sell at
tariff prices, and thus as consumers
must return their share of the increa :.
ed price to the tradesmen."
This reads strangely like the speech
of demagogue. Remembering that
these points are ostensibly advanced
in support of a recommendation that
the revenues be reduced, are they
consistent with the idea that the doc
ument is an honest and straightfor-
ward, as we'll as an able, effort to
support his position The President
continues
"When the number of farmers en-
gagged in wool raising is compared
with all the farmers in the country,
and the small proportion they bear
to our population is considered;
when it Is made apparent that, in
the case of a large part of those who
own sheep, the benefit of the present
tariff on wool is illusory. and above
all, when it must be conceded that
the increase of the cost of living caus-
ed by such tariff, becomes a burden
upon those with moderate means and
the Door, the employed and unem-
ployed. the sick and we'll, the young
and old, and that it constitutes a task
which, with relentless grasp, is fas-
tened upon the clothing of every
man, woman and child in the land,
reasons are suggested why the remov-
al or reduction of this duty should
be included in a revision of our tariff
laws"
1t would have been more to the
purpose had the President candidly
and honestly gone into a considera-
ton as to whether the step he recon.
mends would contribute to the end
he claimed to have in view-the re-
duction of the revenues. Would it?
Here is an argument from recent his.
tory:
1.-THE annual revenue derived from
the imports of wool under the tariff
of 1868 was less than S4.70O,00O un.
der the reduced tariff of 1883 the rev.
enue last year WAS over five millions.
The number of sheep in the country
in 1884 was 5O,626.626; IN 1887. A.
759.315. a decrease of nearly 6,0OO,.
600, and diminution of the annual
wool product of over 85.OO0.OO
pounds. thus showing that reducing
the tariff by the act of 1883 has in
creased the revenue from imported
woods and diminished the number of
sheep in the United States about
IL per cent, and the annual product
in the same proportion"
Did the President know this? III
not, his preparation for his message
must have been hasty and careless in
the extreme. If he did know it, and
yet recommends this action. and in
the face of the fact so aptly referred
to by the Wool Growers Conference
in their action on Tuesday, that if
the whole amount of the revenue de-
rived from wool was abolished 1t
would reduce the surplus only about
Eve millions, or less than ten cents
per capita of the population, then
what is to be said of his action, ex-
cept that it is a wanton and senseless
assault on an important industry?
The President says the benefits of
the present tariff on wool are "ilIu.